The Legend of the Avatar
by passivestrength
Summary: ATLA/LOK cross/AU: What if Aang had died during the Air Nomad genocide? Katara and Sokka find Korra in the iceberg instead, and rather than Katara and Aang falling in love, Sokka and Korra do? There is much much more to this tale than meets the eye, please read the full descrip/summary inside! Rated T for now, but we'll see what happens...
1. Outline

The Legend of the Avatar (unless I find a better name)

_What if Aang and Korra's times had been reversed? Katara and Sokka find Korra in the iceberg instead, and rather than Katara and Aang falling in love, Sokka and Korra do? The story's the same, with the war going on and the Avatar needing to master the elements to end it. Only like in LOK, Korra only needs to master airbending to become a realized Avatar. But like in ATLA, all the airbenders are dead. All of them. So, the main arc of the series would be Sokka, Katara, and Korra trying to find a way for Korra to master airbending without a teacher. All the while, Ozai grows closer to world domination and the banished Prince Zuko hunts the Avatar to regain his honor, and…well, you know the rest._

So, you guys asked for it, and I guess I'm going to go for it! I haven't written a full-fledged fanfiction for quite some time (mostly because I'm freaking lazy as heck) but I shall try my hardest on this one! Just to give you all a basic premise as far as the storyline goes…

(I had to alter some stuff from the original post to actually make this story work, so…bear with me. As for Aang, rest in peace kiddo. I really didn't want to have to kill you; I'm quite fond of you, to be honest. So, I am sincerely sorry.)

The Avatar was born in the Southern Air Temple before the Hundred Year War, and at twelve years of age, he was sent to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training. War broke out, and at word that the Avatar was an Air Nomad, Sozin had the entire Air Nomad population, Aang included, slaughtered. No one was thought to have survived.

Seventeen years later, the new Avatar is living in the Southern Water Tribe in the midst of the Hundred Year War. The pressure on her is overwhelming, and the fear of death and destruction weighs down on her every day. Due to the loyalty and protection of her people, Sozin has not yet become aware of her identity, but he searches both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes with ruthless intensity. After another raid on her Southern Tribe ending in massacre, Avatar Korra flees her home with her animal guide, only to become caught in a terrible storm while attempting to cross the ocean (Hey, she's a waterbender. She could do it without a flying bison. It's possible.) She encases herself in ice after triggering her protective Avatar State, and falls into a deep coma.

83 years pass, and Korra is discovered by two young members of the now desolate Southern Water Tribe…

And that is how this story will come to be. Sokka falls for Korra first, and it takes a while for them to get along with her stubbornness and his sexism. Korra trains Katara in waterbending and learns of the current state of the war and the consequences of her disappearance. Sokka and Katara agree to help Korra master airbending and put an end to the war, although airbenders are thought to be extinct. I promise all of the main supporting characters will return in some way – Jet, Suki, Toph, Mai, Azula, etc.…just, trust me. I'll try to make everyone's story work. There will most likely be Zutara, although the main focus of this story is going to be Korra and Sokka. And of course, even if there is Zutara, it's going to take a while to get there, so don't hold your breath. Those two have a lot of ground to cover before they can even think of starting a relationship (I'm sticking with the main storyline on this one, so Zuko and Mai will probably be together for a while, too.) There will also be a couple new characters, one of which will be very significant. But, you'll just have to wait to find it all out ;) So there you go! This is going to be my new project! In whatever free time I have this semester haha. I hope you're all somewhat excited about this, because I am!

-passivestrength


	2. Prologue: The Escape

Prologue: The Escape

"Come on Naga, let's go."

The polar bear dog eyed her master with downhearted eyes, detecting the own sadness in Korra's voice. However, she obeyed without objection and followed silently as her master led her into the brisk night air.

Korra tightened the straps of Naga's saddle before climbing up onto her back, not daring the look behind at the life she was about to abandon. The tribe she had called home her seventeen years, with its beautiful ice walls and buildings, and the warmth of the extended family within that had protected and cared for her each passing year.

Blood and ash stained the white snow this past week though, as they had several times in the past. Multiple buildings lay in ruins, chunks of the great walls melted and decayed. And too many members of the tribe now rested under the snow rather than under the fur blankets that they would never again return to.

The raid had been swift, unexpected. Ruthless. The second raid in the past seven months. Fire Lord Sozin was becoming uneasy, worried that the identity of the Water Tribe Avatar remained a secret to him. Both the Northern and Southern Tribes had taken on their roles with unrivaled commitment and loyalty, hiding Korra's existence and keeping the Fire Nation at bay. But it was only a matter of time. Sozin was relentless in his search, and she was very aware of the fact that he would not stop until he discovered her and slaughtered her, as he had with the previous Avatar and his entire people. Korra had heard the stories growing up, despite the adults' attempts to keep her in the dark. She knew of the unimaginable horror, the violent death that had greeted the Air Nomad Avatar at just twelve years of age. A death that could be awaiting her, and her tribe.

She wasn't afraid though. Like Sozin, her nature was unrelenting, and she stared down most obstacles that dared get in her way. She excelled in fighting, and her bending was strong. A prodigy in water and fire, and an expert in earth. Death was just another challenge to her, and one that she was ready to face head-on whenever the time came.

This was a different situation though. This wasn't her solitary life on the line. It was her entire civilization's. And it had finally dawned on her that staying in the Southern Tribe and hiding in the shadows was no longer an option if she wanted her people to survive.

She was lost, body and mentality. She didn't know where to head or what course of action to pursue. To declare herself for the world to acknowledge would lead to her immediate extinction, but to stay hidden and silent would only continue to put the tribes at risk. If she came out as the Avatar, would the raids on her homelands finally end? Her masters had taught her that the previous Avatar would be able to guide her along difficult decisions, but how was a twelve year old child supposed to help her, still a child herself? And regardless of his age and expertise, he had been an Air Nomad; a known spiritual master by birth. She had never managed to even properly meditate, let alone come anywhere near contacting her spiritual side and its powers. Avatar Aang would most likely remain always outside of her grasp, so his guidance was something to not even be considered.

"Come on, Naga," Korra repeated to her trusted friend, the only living creature to know of and share in her escape. She thought to the letter resting on her bed, rolled tight with sinew into a perfect scroll. Her parents would discover it in the morning, read it and call together a desperate search party, but she would already be far away.

The crisp night air bit at the exposed skin of her face and hands, and Korra raised the hood of her parka to protect and hide her presence. With trudging footsteps, Naga began moving toward the East, neither of them knowing what they would find there.

Neither of them knowing of the terrible storm that would greet them as they reached the awaiting midnight sea.


	3. 1: The Girl in the Iceberg

1. The Girl in the Iceberg

"Stop fidgeting so much, Sokka."

"Shh."

"What do you mean, shush? You're rocking the canoe and are going to tip us over!"

"Katara, please!" The Water Tribe warrior glared at his younger sister in indignation, whale bone spear raised over his head threateningly.

"What?" The slightly younger tribes member retorted, matching her brother's glare, unintimidated.

"I am _trying_ to catch some fish! Or would you rather skip dinner tonight?"

"Well if you knock us into the water and scare them all away, we'll definitely have to skip it!"

Sokka let out an exaggerated sigh and let the spear drop across his shoulders. "Fine then, do you have a better idea, Miss Bossy Parka?"

"Actually, I do," Katara countered, ignoring the snipe. "If you would just let me waterbend, then I-"

"No way," he cut her off with finality. "Every time you play with your magic water, I always get soaked."

"But Sokka!"

"No, Katara. I told you could come as long as you promised not to splash around and get us sunk."

She glowered at him. "You're going to sink us by yourself! And how else am I supposed to learn if I can't practice?"

"Shh Katara, I see a fish."

Katara felt her temperature rising, the anger at her brother's ignorance and disrespectfulness boiling inside her.

As Sokka positioned his spear to take aim at the unsuspecting fish, she summoned all of her focus and released a deep breath, drawing a small wave with her hands that propelled the canoe forward, away from their would-be dinner. Sokka cursed as his balance was thrown off and he fell forward, nearly stumbling into the frigid water.

"Damn it Katara, what did you do that for?" He spun around and faced his baby sister with anger that rivaled hers. "Do you have to get in the way of _everything?_"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped, reaching forward to snatch the spear out of his hands. "You would have died years ago without my constant help, and we both know it."

"I knew I should have left you at home," he muttered with acidity. "And give me back my spear."

"Why should I? It's not like it's going to help you catch anything."

"Katara, give it to me now. As your older brother, that's an order."

Katara's eyes narrowed at the last words. "You know you have no right to tell me what to do, Sokka. Just because Mom and Dad aren't around doesn't make you the boss."

"I'm still older than you, though," he countered. "Dad left me in charge when he left. And that means that you have to respect me, and what I say."

"Maybe I would respect you if you weren't such an arrogant and sexist jerk."

Sokka scowled and leaned forward to take back the spear, but Katara held it firm in her grasp.

"Let go, Katara," he bit. "I'm serious."

"And I'm serious about you learning to respect _me_ a little more," she retorted, tightening her fingers around the shaft. A short and childish game of tug-of-war followed, with each sibling holding fast to the spear and the metaphorical beliefs and opinions tied to each end. Finally, the weapon slipped from Katara's hands and shot through the floor of the canoe, creating a jagged tear across the bottom.

"Great, now look at what you did," Sokka yelled, a look of panic beginning to cross his features as freezing water poured across their feet.

"What _I_ did?" Katara asked in disbelief. "You always blame everything on me!"

"Leave it to a girl to screw things up."

"I can't believe I'm related to you some days!"

Katara raised her fists to begin another waterbending tirade with what small bending skill she possessed, but Sokka grabbed her hands and pulled her toward him. Before she could object, he clamped his hands around her waist and hoisted her out of the canoe and onto a nearby ice bed before climbing out himself.

They watched as their small canoe filled with water and disappeared from sight, silence falling over them both. The gentle sounds of the ocean water lapping against the ice filled the air, as the siblings gradually became aware of their rather bleak situation.

"Well, great," Sokka said at last. "Congratulations on your usual gracefulness, Katara."

"It was both of our faults, Sokka," she countered, beginning to calm down. "Just accept that so we can forget it and try to figure out a way back."

"We're miles away from the village!" he shouted in exasperation, throwing his hands in the air. "And most of this ice will break if we even _breathe_ on it! What's your bright idea this time?"

"Waterbending," she stated simply.

Sokka's hands dropped and he gave his sister a disbelieving look. "Are you crazy? That's what got us into this mess in the first place!"

"No," she shouted back. "You wouldn't _let_ me bend, and that argument's what got us into this mess!"

"Same difference, Katara! You're not a bender!"

"Not _yet_. But I can do some moves."

"Okay then, make us ice wings so that we can fly home!" he said sarcastically.

She frowned at him, the corner of her cerulean eyes twitching as they narrowed. "Ha ha, very funny, Sokka. You know that's not how it works."

"I know that there's nothing _you_ can do," he shrugged. "Face it, we just have to be logical about this. Home should be southwest of where we are now, so we just have to start heading in that direction and be _very_ careful about where we step."

"That idea is going to get us killed! You never listen to me!"

"I'm just looking out for you."

"No!" Katara shook her head fiercely, shooting an accusing finger toward him. "Ever since we were little, you always think that your way is the _only_ way! You _never_ listen, which is exactly why we always end up getting into trouble! If you ever paid attention, you would realize that I'm always having to save your skin from ending up on the bottom of the ocean, or in a tiger seal's mouth, or even in the _Fire Nation's_ _grasp!" _

Sokka's eyes widened as his sister ruthlessly berated him, not registering her words but instead noticing as the ice around them began to shake.

"Uh, Katara…"

"Ever since Mom died and Dad left, I've had to be the adult since you won't grow up and take charge of anything that doesn't directly benefit you!" Katara continued on her tirade, oblivious to the actions occurring in reaction to her violent outbreak. "Everyone else respects me, but you still treat me like a helpless child!"

The ice beneath their feet split, a large crack beginning to run toward the water. Sokka let out a strangled gasp as the tall glacier behind Katara began trembling as well, chunks of snow and ice crumbling off and splashing into the ocean.

"Katara," he tried again.

"What?!"

"Run!"

Katara whipped around in time to watch the glacier split, the ground around them now shaking profusely. She screamed as the crack in the ice bed widened and her foot slipped into the frigid water. Sokka grabbed her hand and began hauling her away from the unnatural disaster unfolding before them, and together they sprinted across the unstable ice, jumping across breaks and praying that the next piece of ice they landed on would not split beneath them.

Finally, they reached a solid bank of thick snow guarding a deep rut in the ice, one big enough to hide in and protect them until their surroundings were once again still. Katara tripped as they jumped down into it, knocking into her brother and causing them both to fall hard against the bottom, but thankfully, it did not crack. They waited in anticipated silence as the sounds of ice crashing against ice and water continued with merciless intensity. Minutes passed, the suddenly the air was calm.

"Congratulations Katara," Sokka told her for the second time that afternoon. "You have now gone from violent and weird to just plain freakish."

"You mean I did that?" she asked him in disbelief.

"Unless that fish that you made me lose was also a waterbender, then yes, you did."

"Wow," she murmured to herself, amazed by her unknown ability but at the same time instantly weighed down by the guilt of causing so much destruction. Her eyes suddenly widened in realization though, and she looked over at her brother with a similarly dazed look. "You just said I was a waterbender."

He looked back, uncomprehending. "Yes?"

A smile couldn't hide itself from her face. "You always tell me I'm not a bender. That's the first time you've admitted that I am one."

The confusion cleared his face and he rolled his eyes once he understood her point. "Well, of course you're a bender, sis. We all know that. You're just not a very _good_ one."

"Not yet," she conceded. "But one day, I'll be a master."

"And one day, I'll be Chief of the Southern Water Tribe," he replied with a mocking twinge.

"But Sokka, you actually _will_ be Chief one day," she answered in confusion.

"I know." He smirked. "That's just my way of telling you that I believe in you."

Another smile graced Katara's lips, and she knew that the fight was over.

"Hey, let's go see how it looks out there," he suggested after a second, and she nodded in agreement, accepting his hand as he helped her to her feet. They climbed over the edge of the bank, and simultaneously, the breath escaped both their lungs.

"Woah."

Where the glacier and ice they had stood on had just been, a gigantic spherical iceberg now rested in the water. It had to be at least twenty feet high, and the ice had a more distinct pale blue hue to it than the colorless white ice surrounding it.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked in amazement, beginning to take slow steps toward it.

"I don't know," Sokka answered, more uneasy and untrusting. "Be careful."

"It's just ice."

"We think."

They cautiously took several more steps towards the giant iceberg, its details becoming more sharp as they came closer.

Katara suddenly let out a gasp. "Sokka, look!"

"What is that?"

"I don't know…I think it's a girl!"

She ran ahead to get a better look, eyes opened wide as she took in the teenage looking girl curled into a tight ball in the center of the ice. There was something else curled around her, a large white creature it seemed, but she couldn't identify it.

"It is a girl! Sokka, we have to help her!"

"Katara, she's dead," Sokka said with a slight frown as he caught up with his sister. "There's no way she could be alive in there. She must have drowned and the ice encased her over time."

"I still want to make sure!" Katara placed her hands on the ice, pressing her face close so that the tip of her nose touched it. "Give me your spear."

Still looking uneasy, but knowing he couldn't stop her, Sokka handed over the weapon and watched as she began to slash away at the ice, barely scratching it. After a few minutes, he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Katara, it's useless. I know you want to help, but there's nothing we can do for her." He gave her a serious look. "It's going to get dark soon. We need to start heading back or we're going to be in serious trouble."

Katara stared at him for a long moment, before finally sagging her shoulders and nodding in resignation. "We have to come back tomorrow then. Please?"

He sighed. "We'll see. Come on, let's go."

They turned and started to walk away, but a quiet cracking noise made Katara stop.

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"The ice…"

She glanced back and noticed that a small crack had appeared along the length of the iceberg, and as she stared, it continued to grow bigger.

"Sokka, wait! The ice is breaking!"

She started running back to it, but screamed and dropped to the ground as it suddenly split clean in half, the two massive pieces crumbling and summoning a huge cloud of snow.

"Katara!"

Sokka sprinted over to his sister, shielding her as snow and ice started raining down on them. A blinding flash lit up the area, reflecting off the ice and shooting up into the sky.

"What's happening?" Katara screamed, unable to hear her own voice over the small avalanche and sudden wail of tiger seals that pierced the air.

"I don't know," he yelled back. "Just don't move!"

A large spear of ice landed directly in front of them, causing Katara to let out another frightened scream. Sokka began to mentally prepare himself for the worst, knowing that if they tried to stand up and run they were just as likely to be struck down by another jagged piece of ice. Just as the hailstorm seemed to thicken, it suddenly stopped.

Another flash of light momentarily blinded their eyes, but just as quickly as it came, it too disappeared.

Katara's gasp caused Sokka to look up, and he almost jumped out of his skin as his eyes met the sight of the strange girl in the iceberg standing ten feet above them on a shattered chunk of the ice, her eyes glowing bright white.

"She's alive!"

"No Katara, stay back!"

Sokka grabbed Katara by the wrist and pulled her back as she tried to take a step forward. He grabbed the whale bone spear from where he'd thrown it on the ground during the downpour and instantly raised it toward the girl, the sharp tip glinting threateningly.

"Get back!" he yelled at her, narrowing his eyes in distrust. "Don't come any closer!"

A small groan stabbed the air and the white light vanished from the girl's eyes, but before their true color was revealed, she closed her eyes and fell forward, almost as if she didn't know how to stand.

Katara broke free of her brother's grasp and rushed forward to catch her, her hands making it just in time to cradle the girl's head before it crunched against the ice. She noticed instantly that the girl was Water Tribe. Her pale brown skin and dark hair would have given her away anyway, but the thick blue and fur parka she wore could only have come from the tribes.

"Katara, stay away from her," Sokka hissed, but he too found himself moving toward her.

"She's harmless," Katara responded, frowning at him. "We have to help her."

Another quiet groan escaped the girl's lips, prompting Sokka to move closer and stare down at her with excessive caution.

Her eyes slowly cracked open, revealing themselves to the beautiful blue of the Water Tribes, only these eyes were a much lighter shade than the usual deep indigo. Sokka felt his breath catch in the back of his throat, and his suspicion momentarily disappeared as he felt suddenly as if he had been hit by a Fire Nation tank. He stared dumbly at the girl as Katara brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled at her.

"Hey," she said in her natural maternal tone. "Are you okay?"

The girl blinked, as if trying to wake up from still being lost in a dream. "Huh?"

"Are you feeling okay?" she repeated patiently. "You look like you're about to faint again."

"I'm okay," the girl answered, still dazed.

Katara stood up and offered her hand, and the elder Water Tribe girl accepted and was pulled to her feet. She was taller than Katara by several inches, which made sense given her appearance. Obviously older, with a slimmer face and far more developed curves visible even through the thick parka.

Sokka realized he hadn't moved since the girl had opened her eyes, and he cleared his throat now and puffed out his chest, moving closer to the pair and pushing Katara behind him.

"What's your name?" he demanded, trying to look intimidating to make up for his temporary and awkward lapse of consciousness.

The girl just stared at him, her eyes reflexively narrowing the slightest bit at his harsh tone.

"I'm Korra."

"Well, Korra, can I ask you how-" Katara began to say, before her brother once again cut her off and pushed her further behind him.

"How did you get in that ice? And how are you alive?" Sokka asked as he regarded the beautiful Water Tribe stranger before him with unease. "And who are you and where are you from? I've never seen you around before, and I know everyone in the South Pole."

Katara rolled her eyes as her brother interrogated the girl. "Sokka, that's because there's only one village, and you can almost count the number of people in it on two hands."

"Shh! Don't tell her our names," Sokka snapped, shoving his hand over his baby sister's mouth. "She may look Water Tribe, but I don't trust strangers. It's my responsibility to protect our people."

"She told us her name!" Katara argued, pushing his hand away. "You're such a paranoid freak."

Korra watched the interaction silently, her head still throbbing from the cold ice and sudden physical activity. She couldn't have been out for that long, right? Maybe a couple days…but who were these two, and what was this village they were talking about? Perhaps there was more than one village in the South Pole after all.

"Hey, answer our questions," Sokka suddenly demanded, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Korra ignored him and regarded the younger girl she suspected was his sister. "Is he always this abrasive?"

Katara heaved a sigh. "Oh no, this is much better than usual. He's being nice because he thinks you're pretty."

"Hey!" Sokka gawked at his sister in disbelief and she gave him a grin that screamed _payback_. He warily shifted his eyes to Korra and noticed that despite seeming slightly disturbed, she also had a small smile on her lips.

"Well in that case," the older girl began, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to entertain a small boy's fantasy by answering a few questions."

_"Who are you calling small?"_ Sokka screeched, his red-faced embarrassment at once boiling into a crimson rage.

"You, pipsqueak," she smirked, although he was quite equal to her height. She could tell by his face that he was younger though, as he surely would get taller with time. "How old are you anyway?"

"Fifteen," he replied hotly, again puffing out his chest and giving her a look of contempt. "But I'll be sixteen in the summer."

"Uh huh," she answered in a highly amused voice. Part of her wondered if she should let her guard down so much around these two strangers, but they seemed innocent and harmless enough. And they were fellow Water Tribe members, albeit ones she had never met before, which still seemed very unusual to her.

"Why, it's not like you're much older," Sokka continued, forgetting his mistrust amidst trying to regain his authority as a man.

"Well, I'll be eighteen in the spring," she stated simply.

"I bet you're not a warrior though," he pressed on.

_"No, but I am the Avatar,"_ she thought to herself. Better to not reveal that precious fact though. Everyone in her tribe knew her real identity, but these two seemed oblivious of it, which once again put up a small warning flag in her mind.

"Well, Mr. Warrior," she said instead, "Are you going to tell me your name or am I just going to have to refer to you as the pipsqueak?"

"I'm not small," he complained again, making himself seem younger and less manly with each pout and angry outburst.

Korra and Katara both laughed, the former crossing her arms under her chest and shaking her head. "Well, you're certainly not as big as my polar bear-"

She froze suddenly, her eyes going wide in fear. "Naga."

The siblings watched as the unusual Water Tribe girl spun around and ran for the shattered ruins of the iceberg. A low howl broke through the momentary silence of the air, making them both jump in surprise. Suddenly amidst the giant piles of ice and snow, a huge white animal bounded up and out onto the flat ice. It was covered in thick white fur from face to tail, with the head and lower half of a giant canine and the thick chest and front legs of a bear.

"Wha-what is that thing?" Sokka asked weakly, not noticing Katara clinging to his arm. "It looks like a polar dog, but I've never seen one that big before!"

"Really?" Korra asked, appearing behind the creature and visibly more relaxed. "Well, Naga's my polar _bear _dog. They're pretty rare, I guess."She noticed their unease and smiled. "Don't worry, she's not gonna hurt you. I tamed her a long time ago."

Sokka stared at her for a long second, and then released a sigh. "Abusive girls climbing out of icebergs, bright lights and sudden avalanches, giant polar dogs…I think I've got midnight sun madness."

"There was an avalanche?" Korra questioned with genuine curiosity.

"Something similar," he consented. "Two of them, actually. One being caused by my delightful little sister over here."

"It wasn't my fault!" Katara snapped, pushing away from him. "But either way, it helped us find Korra so it couldn't have been that bad!"

"Okay, I'll remember that the next time I _almost get skewered by an icicle!"_

Katara huffed and turned to Korra who was appraising her with inquisitive eyes.

"Ice falling from the sky, huh?" Korra gave a lopsided smile. "You wouldn't happen to be a waterbender, would you?"

Katara gasped happily and stared at the other Water Tribe girl as if seeing her for the first time. "I am! Well, not yet…but I'm learning! I just need a master, but unfortunately there's no other waterbenders in the South Pole, as I'm sure you know."

"What?"

Katara's smile vanished at the look of pure shock and horror on Korra's face. "What's wrong?"

"Did you just say that there are no waterbenders down here?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, they've all been taken away by the Fire Nation over the years." She paused and sucked in a shaky breath, as if remembering something horrific. "I'm the only one left. At least, that's what I've always thought."

"That can't be true," Korra dismissed the idea, trying to regain her composure. "I thought mine was the only village here, but apparently I was wrong. We have tons of waterbenders where I live."

"Oh, really?" Katara questioned, a bit of hope and excitement returning to her voice. "Are you one?"

"Yeah, I am actually." Korra grinned again, seeming confident in the fact that these two just came from another misfortunate village. She raised her hand and summoned a decent sized snowball, melting it into a stream of water that she twirled around her body for several seconds. "My master said I'm a prodigy, which is great, but I just like playing around with it and sparring."

Katara watched, transfixed, as she hardened the small stream into a sharp icicle before letting it drop to the ground and shatter. "Wow, that's incredible!"

Korra shrugged, trying for once to be modest, despite just showing off. "Thanks."

There was silence for a while as Katara mentally weighed the pros and cons of asking a question that was eating away at her. Finally, she gave in.

"Do you think I could learn from your master?"

Korra froze, suddenly remembering everything. The war. The attacks on her village. That she was running away. And now that she was set back after being in that iceberg for spirits knows how long. A few days…a few weeks?

"Oh, umm, I mean I'm sure you could," she began hesitantly. "He's a great waterbender, but his patience could use a bit of work."

"That's okay, I'm good at listening and following orders," Katara interjected.

Behind them, Sokka gave a lough laugh which he tried to hide behind a cough. Katara shot him a quick glare, but otherwise chose to ignore him.

"I really need to learn waterbending," she continued. "It's really important to me, and to my village. If I become a bender, I can help defend my people. I'm sure you understand that."

"Yeah, I do," Korra said quietly. That's why she was running away, after all. She loved her people, her family, and she knew the only way to protect them was to leave, even if it meant never seeing them again. A low sigh escaped her.

"Do you think…" Katara began uncertainly, oblivious to Korra's sudden despondence. "I mean, I wouldn't want to trouble you, but do you think maybe I could come back to your village with you?

_"What?"_

Both girls turned to look at Sokka, who looked like he was about to blow a fuse. "Katara, are you _crazy?_ You can't just go off to some unknown location without Grandma's and _my_ approval! And you just _met_ this girl! We don't know her! She could be a kidnapper or something!"

Katara raised her eyebrows and frowned while Korra tried to decide whether or not she should feel offended.

"Sokka, I think we can trust her. Besides, this could be my only chance to learn waterbending!"

"No way," he said sharply. "Sometimes, I worry about your brain. You can't just trust strangers! Especially when we're in the middle of a war!"

"You know, he's probably right," Korra cut in, surprising them both. She gave Katara a small sad grin. "Your brother's just looking out for you, like family should. And I'm not going back to my village, anyway. I, uh, have to go somewhere else."

"Oh, I see." Katara frowned again, her spark of hope once again extinguished. "Where are you going?"

"The Earth Kingdom," she decided suddenly, not sure if it was the truth or not. She would figure it out later.

"The Earth Kingdom, wow." Both Katara and her brother seemed impressed by this. "I've never left the South Pole before."

Korra grinned. "Neither have I." She stepped over to Naga's side and climbed up onto her back, settling onto the saddle and watching with amusement as the Water Tribe pair gawked at her. "It's going to be a bit of an adventure."

She looked around and for the first time realized that they were in the middle of nowhere, and the surrounding ground mainly consisted of unstable looking ice and powerful currents of frigid water. The warning flag in her mind shot up, harshly ordering her to walk away now and not help these young strangers. But they looked half frozen, and it seemed they were traveling on foot. She felt a spasm of pity strike her and she abruptly gave in with another sigh.

"Hey, Sokka and Katara," she began, shocking them both with their names. At their expressions, she gave a light laugh. "I know how to listen, you know. If you were trying to keep your names a secret, you might need to work on your communication skills a bit more."

Katara grinned back at her, but Sokka gave a frustrated frown. He was being repeatedly bested and taunted by this beautiful, strange girl, and he didn't like it.

"I mean, if you guys don't want to walk back to your village, Naga and I could give you a ride," Korra offered, trying to push aside the powerful mental alarm that screamed at her to leave.

"Really? Oh, that's so nice of you!" Katara accepted at once.

"No way," Sokka said on cue, repeating what seemed to be his favorite phrase. "There is no way I'm getting on that giant monster's back."

Naga gave a low, insulted growl.

"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home?" Katara asked as Korra helped her climb up onto the saddle. "You know…before you freeze to death?"

Sokka glared at her, but then looked around and himself realized how desolate their situation was. He gave an exaggerated sigh and mumbled, "I can't believe I'm getting on that giant monster's back."

Korra tried to seem at ease as she helped her second passenger settle in. It would only be a brief setback, she reasoned, and after being in that ice for however long an hour seemed like no time at all. And she had to admit that she was curious to see this other village. If Katara and Sokka were strangers to her, then this whole village would probably be strangers. And strangers meant no risk of revealing her identity, and no risk of them reporting back to her village where she was. And after satisfying her curiosity and perhaps stocking up on a few more provisions, she would leave and start on her relocation. Her new life. Nothing could go wrong.

"Just tell me the direction to head, and hold on tight," Korra told Sokka and Katara. "Naga's a fast runner."

"Just start heading toward the west," Katara told her, while Sokka sulked behind her. "It's only about seven miles away."

"Sounds good," she answered, pulling on Naga's reigns. The polar bear dog gave a small bark before taking off for the horizon. Korra once again ignored the small voice of warning in her mind as it surfaced, not knowing of the shock she would find when they reached the village.

* * *

(A/N: Small author's note - wow I got this chapter done a lot quicker than I thought it would take! I wouldn't expect updates this soon - especially for chapters this long - but I just had some free time this week! Hope you guys like it so far! Let me know!)


	4. 2: The Southern Water Tribe

The Southern Water Tribe

"Do you find this path a wise one, my nephew?"

"What does it matter?"

"Please, Prince Zuko. We've been down this path before." The middle aged man closed his eyes and released a deep sigh, shaking his head sadly as the frantic teenage boy before him paced endless circles along the ship's deck.

"I have to try."

"Trying is very important, indeed," the man agreed, "but it is also important to not expect success with each attempt. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"What does that matter?" the boy repeated bitterly, stopping his anxious march to turn and glare sharply at his uncle. "I_ have_ to keep trying. I _have_ to capture the Avatar."

"I understand, Prince Zuko. But you should know by now that possessing a _need_ rather than a _desire_ does not make it any more likely to come true."

Iroh paused for a moment to consider his own words, taking a deep sip of his burning jasmine tea. "Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed to capture the Avatar."

"It's different for me," Zuko said sternly. "Their honor didn't hinge on his capture."

"You don't even know if the Avatar is a man," Iroh pressed on, gently but solidly. "We have known nothing new of the Avatar's identity for more than eighty years. All we know is that-"

"Is that they are from the Water Tribes," the prince finished. "And that's why we're here, Uncle! That's why we have come to the southernmost tip of the world, to the fucking coldest point attainable on the Earth, after sailing the oceans surrounding the upper Earth Kingdom and Northern Water Tribe for nearly three years! Because I_ have to keep trying_!"

Iroh remained silent as he watched his young nephew calm his rattled breathing, and unclench fists that had begun to smoke. He gave another sigh, and followed with a slight nod.

"I know, Prince Zuko. But please, rest yourself before you destroy yourself." He picked up a second teacup of untouched tea. "Please, sit. Drink, and enjoy the crisp clear air of the day."

Zuko turned away, his back stiff as he walked to the bow of the ship and rested his arms on the metal rails. "No. I do not have time to embrace such foolish antics. Leave me, now."

"Zuko-"

"I said go!"

For the third time in such a short period, Iroh released a sigh and rose to his feet. He picked up his tea but left his element based card game behind, unfinished. After staring for a long minute at his nephew's back, he sadly disappeared inside, leaving the prince alone with his thoughts.

Zuko stared out at the horizon, where the blinding flash of light had ignited the sky not long ago, and closed his eyes to begin an uneasy and delusive meditation.

* * *

Korra began to feel herself growing uneasy as they grew closer to the village. The surrounding ice and snow were unfamiliar, but the path was something her heart had memorized many times.

"Are you sure that this is the right way?" she asked Katara, as Sokka was still sitting silently as an ice sculpture behind them.

"Yeah, I'm positive," the younger Water Tribe girl answered, noting the off tone of Korra's voice. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing," she said, shaking her head. Her mind must've still not been clear after being encased in that ice.

"Oh, I'm so hungry," Sokka suddenly said, finally ending his silence. "And we don't have any fish,_ Katara._"

"Don't try to blame that on me again," she snapped, turning her head to glare at him briefly. "It is just as much your fault as it is mine that we didn't catch anything."

"Hey, if you guys need some help catching fish, I've been told I'm pretty good at it," Korra butted in, glad for the distraction from her thoughts.

"Really?" Katara asked, instantly intrigued. "Do you use waterbending?"

"Well, of course," Korra smiled, shrugging slightly as she held fast to Naga's reigns.

"Fishing is a man's job," Sokka muttered, rapidly pouty again. "We don't need your help."

"Well I can see you've done a great job of it by yourself," Korra retorted, slightly offended.

"Sokka, I can't believe you sometimes," his sister glowered at him, offended herself. She quickly composed herself and shot him another look. "I'm unfortunately used to your inane sexism, but I can't believe you'd actually turn down an offer of free food."

When he didn't answer, Katara released a sigh and turned back to Korra. "Well, I'd be more than happy to accept your offer."

"Oh yeah?" The older girl gave a small smirk. "Watch and learn, Katara. This is how you catch a fish."

Korra yanked on Naga's reigns to slow the giant creature, and once she had stopped Korra patted her on the head. In the next instant, she had closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, seeming to focus her energy on a single point somewhere in her mind. Katara watched, amazed, as the girl slowly raised her right hand and sharply jerked it in a fluid downward movement that cut a clean diagonal line. The sound of ice cracking immediately followed, and by leaning toward her right and gazing down, Katara could see that an incision had been carved into the ice beside them, cutting through to the water and creating a small hole perfect for ice fishing.

"Wow, that was incredible!" The young Tribes Woman gaped, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and praise. "I wish I knew how to do that!"

"Just wait," the older girl continued, and with her next movement she quickly brought her right hand back up in a straight line, palm pressed down and fingers curling to form a claw. Several seconds passed, and then a splash surfaced from the small hole.

"You have to teach me how to do that," Katara concluded, watching in awe as a fat antarctic cod was plucked from the ice, swimming a helpless circle in the small bubble of water Korra had raised.

"It's nothing really, but sure," Korra shrugged again, admittedly basking a little in the praise. It was something she had always enjoyed, being the Avatar and all, but aside from that she just appreciated it when people noticed and acknowledged her advanced bending ability. It had taken her years of hard practice to attain such skill.

"I mean, with a war going on and all," she continued, "I figure being able to catch your own food is a necessity to everyone. At least, it's a skill that I've come to value and fall back on."

"Definitely," Katara agreed, her smile fading a bit. "It's been hard on our village, these past couple of years. Food is becoming harder to come by."

Korra shot her an empathetic glimpse, knowing the feeling herself. She brought the still levitating fish down to her lap and after sparing it a fleeting frown, snapped its neck to quickly stop its struggling. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do more to help, but I _can_ teach you how I catch fish."

"Does that mean you'll come back to our village and stay with us until at least tomorrow?"

Korra frowned at the hopeful inflection in Katara's voice. "Umm, I don't know. I really should get going."

"One day isn't going to hurt you," the younger girl continued. "And it's starting to get dark. You can't travel alone at night. It's dangerous."

"And cold," Sokka added in. "Very cold."

"See? Even Sokka wants you to come back with us. Meet our village."

"I didn't say that," Sokka said stubbornly. "I just said that traveling at night is cold, and nothing more."

"She could catch us more fish so we can have a real dinner tonight," Katara added persuasively.

"I never said I was opposed to her coming back, either," he continued. "But we should keep moving either way. Sitting here is not improving the weather."

"You're always cold," his sister complained, and Korra smiled.

"Let's just get you two back to your village and we'll take it from there," she decided, and before either sibling could respond she'd pulled Naga's reigns and sent the polar bear dog back into action.

"We're almost there, anyway," Katara contributed as Naga bounded across the snow. "You can just start to see our wall if you squint. See? Over there."

Korra felt a sharp pang in her chest as Katara pointed out the small outline of the village on the horizon. The surrounding landscape had changed, but she was almost certain that they were heading back to _her_ own village, the one that she had just fled. The coordinates were nearly identical.

"Is something wrong?"

"What?" Korra turned to look at the younger girl, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"You slowed us down," Katara answered, giving her a worried look.

Korra looked down at her hands and saw that she had yanked on Naga's reigns, bringing the animal to a walk. "Oh. I didn't realize."

"Are you _sure_ that everything's fine?" Katara questioned her again, and this time Korra could not lie as easily.

"I'm not sure, actually," she responded truthfully. "I don't know, I just have this strange feeling that I know where we are. I think I've been to your village before."

That had to be it, she reasoned. The returning journey seemed identical to her own village's, but maybe it just seemed familiar because this was a village she had visited in the past. She couldn't recall when or why though, as it had shocked her to discover just this afternoon that there was more than just her village in the South Pole.

"That's strange," Katara commented, pondering on the words for a moment. "Well, if you have been here, it must have been years ago because I don't remember any friendly outsiders ever visiting us."

"Neither do I," added Sokka, suddenly rejoining the conversation.

"Sokka, that's what I just said," his sister said in a tone that questioned his intelligence. "You leave the village more often than I do, so if I don't remember her coming, you definitely wouldn't."

"You forget that I'm older," he responded with undisguised superciliousness.

"Yeah, one year older."

"Hey, you do a lot in a year."

"Children, please," Korra cut in, reminding them both that she was the oldest present. The small smirk she accompanied with the comment earned her a laugh from Katara but a scowl from Sokka.

"Hey, we're here!"

The other two refocused their attention forward as the youngest Water Tribe member suddenly spoke up.

Sure enough, the icy circular wall of a village loomed in front of them, glistening as the rays of the setting sun bounced off of it.

Korra felt another pang, but one not as strong as the previous ones. The location seemed a match, but this was not the great wall that surrounded her village. Her huge village, with its ice palaces and temples, buildings and training arenas. The circumference of this wall was much too small to house her village. There was no arguing that fact.

A loud rumbling sound suddenly caught her attention, and she was embarrassed to discover that it was her own stomach. She remembered the fish she'd stuffed in a pouch tied to Naga's side, realizing how hungry she was. She hadn't eaten all day, added to however long she'd been trapped in that iceberg.

"You must be so hungry," Katara stated, giving Korra a little frown. "Now you have to come inside and stay, so we can make you a proper meal."

"I don't know," she replied, still unsure about the entire situation.

"It would be dishonorable of us not to," the younger girl persisted. "Right Sokka?"

"Whatever," he added unhelpfully.

"Sokka!"

"Alright, alright," he grumbled. "Yes Korra, please come inside, even if it's just to steal our food."

"SOKKA!"

"It's alright, really," Korra laughed. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to grab just a little dinner." She rubbed her stomach and gave it a solid smack as she again picked up Naga's reigns. "Lead the way."

Katara pointed to the right and showed her how there was an opening in the wall. Large enough for Naga to squeeze through, but nothing much wider.

"Katara! Sokka!"

Once inside, several of the tribe's women swarmed around the giant creature, watching with caution as Korra led her to a stop near the village center. Before she could really take in her surroundings, Korra was addressed by a harsh looking elderly woman whose hair was pinned back the same way as Katara's.

"You, girl," the woman stated sternly. "Who are you and what is your business here?"

"Her name is Korra," Katara answered before Korra could open her mouth. "She rescued us. Well, we rescued her, but then-"

"We found her in an iceberg," Sokka cut in, mimicking his sister by beginning to climb off of Naga's back.

"An iceberg?" The woman looked back at Korra in astonishment. "And she's alive?"

"Of course," Katara said, pushing her brother for interrupting her. "Like I said, we rescued her, and then she offered to take us home since Sokka got our canoe sunk."

"Excuse me, I did _what?_"

"GranGran, she's a waterbender," Katara ignored him. "And she's going to teach me how to catch fish with my bending! She's incredible at it."

Korra rubbed the back of her neck and grinned sheepishly. "Well, yeah, I guess. Thanks, Katara."

"A waterbender." Katara and Sokka's grandmother narrowed her eyes slightly. "Very interesting. Where are you from, Korra? As Katara stated, I am Sokka's and her grandmother, Kanna. I apologize for the severe treatment, but we're not much used to strangers out here."

"Oh, I'm from another village," she answered almost too quickly. "I don't think it's too many miles from here, actually."

Kanna narrowed her eyes again after a brief look of surprise crossed her face. "That is interesting news indeed. I have always known ours to be the only village in the entire South Pole."

The sharp twang from before struck Korra's chest again, and she felt her heart begin to race.

"We promised Korra dinner for helping us," Katara cut in, not noticing the tension and therefore dispelling it. "Sokka was going to show her around while I helped you prepare our food."

"I'm going to do what?" Sokka raised a questioning eyebrow at his sister.

"Just do it," she said, giving him a push. "I would love to take her around the village, but then you would have to help with dinner and I would never trust you in a kitchen, even supervised. You're the worst cook in probably the entire world."

"I don't understand why people say kindness is one of your best traits, sis. I really don't."

She stuck her tongue out at him and walked to her grandmother's side, beginning to explain in greater detail how she and Sokka had discovered Korra. Kanna continued to eye the unusual Water Tribe girl distrustfully, but nodded in seeming acceptance of Katara's story.

"Sokka, please bring Korra with you to dinner when we call for you," the old woman said at last. And as she stepped closer to press a hand against his arm, she added in a hushed whisper, "and until then, don't let her out of your sight. Your sister is far too trusting."

Sokka gave one firm nod, and Korra pretended to not look offended. She hadn't been able to hear what was said, but she was too smart to not know that they'd been talking about her, and in most likely not the most positive light.

"Come along, Katara," Kanna called, and Katara waved goodbye to Korra as she disappeared into an icy house with her grandmother.

After waving back, the smile dropped from the older girl's face as she glanced uncertainly at Katara's brother. And awkward silence fell over them as they both shifted their boots in the snow, Sokka kicking at an ice patch and refusing to make eye contact. Finally, Korra broke the wall that seemed to be dividing them.

"So, is there anywhere I can leave Naga? Like a stable or something?"

Sokka finally looked up at her, only to shake his head. "We don't have anything like that. You'll just have to tie her up near the front wall."

"Do I have to?" She gave him a small pout, reaching over to stroke her polar bear dog's thick fur. "She's not gonna run off if I just leave her here. And she won't cause any trouble, either."

He gave her a skeptical look, but didn't comment.

"Honest," Korra argued. "She's a good girl. I trained her myself."

"Well, how am I supposed to know if your definition of good is really...good?" He frowned momentarily, lost for how to phrase his thoughts. "GranGran said to watch out for you. She's a paranoid old bat, but she probably has a point."

Korra narrowed her eyes at him like a threatened animal. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"Well, let me think," Sokka began thoughtfully. "Katara and I found you frozen solid in an iceberg so you should have been dead, your eyes were glowing when you came out, you caused an ice storm that nearly skewered us, you're a waterbender which is incredibly rare down here in the South Pole, you ride around on a giant polar bear dog that none of us have ever seen anything like, and you're from a village that none of us have ever heard of and don't even know if it actually exists." He contemplated her for a minute and shrugged. "Yeah, I'd say you're a bit tricky to trust."

"Your sister trusts me," she argued defensively, beginning to feel the heat in her palms as her temper flared.

"Katara would trust a fire bender if they claimed to be good," he deadpanned. "Even after everything we've been through, she's still far too trusting."

"What have you been through?"

"That's not your concern," he remarked shortly. "Besides, what's it to you if we trust you or not? You're taking off the first chance that you get."

Korra instantly felt the guilt at the truth of his words. She shrugged and gave Naga another pat. "We'll see."

"Sudden change of heart?"

She shot him a disparaging look. "We'll see. So, can I leave Naga here or not?"

Sokka shrugged. "Any damage is on your tab."

"Deal."

The two started walking off toward the back of the village, Korra giving her animal guide an 'I'll be back soon' gesture. When the bear dog proceeded to lay down and stare back patiently, she couldn't hide the smug grin that instantly grabbed her face. Sokka scowled at her and walked ahead, leaving her running to keep pace with him.

"Hey, lighten up," she tried to say between breaths.

He didn't say anything, but allowed her to catch up.

"Does your family know that you're taking off for the Earth Kingdom?"

The question surprised Korra, and she tried her best to hide her panic. "Yes, of course. I mean, I'm an adult so they can't really stop me even if they wanted to, but they're fine with it."

Sokka glanced at her in obvious suspicion, but chose not to argue her claim.

"Where are all the men in your village?" she asked next, having noticed that only women and children had greeted them at the front entrance. "Out hunting still?"

Sokka couldn't hide his surprise at all, and gaped at her openly. "What, are you nuts? Our men are off fighting in the war! They have been for two years, in the _Earth Kingdom_! Have your village's men not left to help?!"

Korra stared back with the same wide-eyed surprise that he was showing her. Knowing she wouldn't be able to backtrack into a lie, she said, "Umm, no, they haven't. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

He shook his head sharply, releasing a huffed breath. "I can't believe that. Why are they still there?"

"To defend our village?" she tried. "We have a lot more people than you do. A lot more women and children and elderly."

"They can defend their village much better by joining the war effort." He grew silent for a minute. "Our men didn't have a choice. They had to join, but they all wanted to, anyway. They saw it as an honor."

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"Because I was too young." He frowned. "My dad wouldn't let me come. But I want to fight now. I envy your journey to the Earth Kingdom."

Korra felt the guilt again, for lying repeatedly about her intentions and her destination. "Well, you have an important responsibility here. Like the men in my village, you have to protect those who can't fight."

"I know." He grew silent again, but then allowed a small smile. "Katara may say that she saves my ass on a regular basis, but she'll never admit that I save hers, too."

"I sometimes wish that I had a brother," Korra responded, perhaps a bit wistfully.

"Only child?"

"You are correct."

Sokka shrugged again. "Yeah. Katara and I fight all the time and give each other more headaches and physical injury than anything else, but at the end of the day, I'm glad she's my sister."

"That's nice," she commented with a smile.

"Don't you ever tell her I said that," he instantly threatened.

Korra put her hands up defensively, giving him a mock grin as she turned a patch of ice into a dagger like icicle that she held to her throat. "Promise."

He chuckled and she gave a dramatic bow as the ice melted back into snow.

"I guess you aren't quite so bad," Sokka conceded after her small performance.

"Are you saying that you trust me now?" she questioned with fake excitement.

"We'll see."

She rolled her eyes as he threw her own words back at her.

"Come on, apparently I promised Katara I'd show you around."

"That should only take a minute or two," she added, again noting the small size of the village.

"That's only if we stay in the village."

"Oh, you mean I get a personal tour of the barren iceland surrounding it, _too?"_

He frowned at the mock joy of her tone. "I think there's something our village has that yours doesn't."

* * *

"Wow. This is truly amazing."

Sokka's frown deepened. "Hey, I worked really hard on this!"

She glanced briefly at him with obvious incredulousness before returning her eyes to the misshapen guard tower before her. She'd noted a similar, slightly smaller tower near the front entrance to the village, but this one was just out the back. There was a small, secret exit through the back village wall that led to, as she'd previously stated, the barren iceland that was the South Pole. And in that iceland, Sokka had constructed a tower packed of ice and snow that stood perhaps twenty feet high.

Korra squinted against the rays of the setting sun as she inspected the structure. "So, tell me why you have a guard tower at the _back_ of the village, _away_ from the ocean where the Fire Navy would dock?"

"This one's for training," he explained, obviously proud of his work and obviously not appreciative of her reaction.

"Training?"

"Yes, training." He crossed his arms and tilted his chin up to give her a demeaning look. "As the oldest male here, and the only trained warrior, it is my duty and responsibility to train the other men in combat and military strategy. And one of those skills is learning to guard the village and keep lookout. I can't have them destroying the actual tower at the front or causing an interference, so I teach them back here."

"Uh huh." She paused, comprehending. "So who are these men that you speak of? I thought you said they all left."

"The adults, yes." He picked up a spear similar to the one he and Katara had used earlier, only much smaller, and tossed it to her. "But not the children. The next generation of Southern Water Tribe warriors!"

Korra inspected the spear and gave a short laugh. "You've got to be kidding me. And _none_ of them are benders?"

"Well, there's only eight of them." He shrugged. "And no, not that we know of."

She pursed her lips and stabbed the spear into the ground so it stood straight up. "Huh."

"Katara's our only freaky magician," he continued, adding with a laugh, "and she's fucking terrible. The only thing she's good at is splashing people, usually me."

"She just needs to be _trained_," Korra replied with a wink, referencing his own words. "Then she'll be a water warrior all her own."

"Yeah, we'll see."

She frowned at the belittling tone of his voice, remembering Katara's earlier comment on sexism. She chose to brush it off, asking instead, "So what do you guys do for fun around here?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know,_ fun?_ You've got fishing, maintenance, warrior training, guarding...you've got to have _something_ fun to do."

"We're in the middle of a war," he reminded her. "There's no time for fun."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Fine then. What do you do for fun in _your_ village?"

She shot him an evil grin. "We have an arena."

"Sparring?"

"Yup." Her smile turned smug. "I'm champion there."

"_You?"_ He laughed openly, causing her to frown. "Come on."

"I'm serious." Korra summoned a clump of snow and molded it into a perfect snowball. "I've been fighting my entire life. Hand to hand, and bending."

"That's cute."

"Don't patronize me," she shot, throwing the snowball to hit him in the middle of his chest. "You wanna go toe-to-toe with me, pretty boy? I'll wipe that smile clean off your face."

Sokka wiped the snow off his parka and shook his head. "I don't fight girls. I wouldn't want for you to get hurt."

Korra summoned another handful of snow, this one that she hardened into a deadly and jagged icicle like from her earlier mock act. It was at his throat in seconds.

"Your sister's right," she breathed against his ear as she pushed the ice a little closer to his skin, feeling his heart pounding through his veins. "You are a bit of a sexist bastard."

He gasped as she melted the transparent dagger and let it drip down his trembling flesh, pushing him away from her.

"Like I said," she added as he stared at her in shock. "I've been fighting my entire life. I know how to handle myself, and I know how to handle any opponent. You don't want to be my opponent."

"Who _are_ you?" He finally asked her, keeping a hand at his throat.

She threw another snowball at him, this attack meant to be seen jokingly. "I thought we already went over this a while ago. I'm Korra."

"And _I_ think you're crazy. Maybe that iceberg messed with your head a bit."

The possible truth of that statement struck Korra, and it was obvious to Sokka. He shifted on his feet and awkwardly tried to take the insult back without actually trying to, but Korra brushed it off in the next second, anyway. She'd learned over her lifetime that it was never worth it to let such statements strike her inner insecurity.

"Do you think dinner will be ready yet?"

Sokka looked at her, surprised that she wasn't angry with him over his comment. "Oh, um. Probably not."

She nodded in acceptance, looking around at the glacier and snow that stretched on for miles. A small movement in the distance caught her attention, and as she narrowed her focus she realized that it was a medium sized black and white animal. A penguin.

"See that over there?"

Sokka looked to where she was pointing, noticing the creature himself. "The penguin? Yeah, a bunch of them live over there."

"We have some more time to kill, right?"

"Yeah," he responded, not following her train of thought.

She nodded again, keeping a straight face. "Well, if you won't spar with me, will you let me show you something else that we do for fun in my village?"

* * *

(A/N: Well, that wasn't where I'd planned on ending this chapter. But, it was getting way too long, and it works haha. Sorry nothing that dramatic or exciting happened in this one...NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE TOO MUCH DRAMA TO HANDLE. It's gonna be insane. I promise. BUT AWWW. SOKKA AND KORRA BONDING TIME. Even though they don't really like each other at this point, heh. And Zuko's in existence! BOOYAH.

I apologize endlessly for the four month wait. My life's been a little crazy this year. And I'm lazy. Yeah...Anyway, I'm on summer break now, and will be for close to three more months. AND THEN I'M STUDYING ABROAD IN JAPAN. BOOM, BABY. But yeah, so I'm gonna be pretty busy still, gettin' ready for that craziness. But I promise to continue writing! I really want to write this story haha! I actually feel motivated to work on it! So yeah, SORRY! Please leave me some feedback; I love hearing your thoughts! Positive reinforcement makes writers want to write more haha!)


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